BSU frontcourt

Ball State junior forward Matt Kamieniecki

Chris Bond

A nagging left hip injury slowed down the athletic Bond last season. His shooting percentage dropped 12 percentage points from his freshman season, but he still managed to put up nearly identical numbers in scoring (7.1) and rebounding averages (4.4) as a sophomore. The 6-foot-4 explosive wing prefers to slash to the rim and score points inside. His shooting range is limited. Bond operates at his best on the defensive end of the court, taking advantage of his long arms to cut off passing lanes. He ranked second on the Cardinals last season in steals with 29, and he usually drew the best opposing perimeter scorer as his defensive assignment.

Bo Calhoun

The 6-foot-6, 228-pound freshman projects to be in the Ball State rotation. Calhoun is capable of playing either forward position. Calhoun averaged a double-double with 18.6 points and 10.0 rebounds per game as a senior at South Bend Washington. Calhoun scored effectively both inside and out as a senior. His shooting range extends to behind the 3-point line. The Ball State roster is chocked full of 3-point shooters, so Calhoun will probably operate primarily in the post as an undersized power forward.

Zach Fields

The redshirt senior is nicknamed "Big Country," but he is no longer so big. The 6-foot-9 Fields shed 30-plus pounds and now weighs a svelte 269. Coach Billy Taylor advised Fields in January to lose weight if he intended to contribute as a senior. Fields followed through, and he will now challenge for playing time in the frontcourt. He averaged 1.8 points and 0.8 rebounds last season as a slow-footed junior. Taylor says Fields is the vocal leader of these Cardinals.

Matt Kamieniecki

A recurring back injury limited the 6-foot-7 forward last season. Kamieniecki says his back feels better this year after cutting some pounds to ease the tension. Coach Taylor says his presence on the court is vital for the Cardinals to be successful this season. Kamieniecki is arguably their best rebounder. He averaged 3.4 boards in only 12.9 minutes per game. He opened last season as the starting power forward until the back injury cut into his availability. Kamieniecki hustles after every loose ball and puts his body in danger at a higher rate than probably any other Cardinal.

Tyler Koch

The 6-foot-5 junior forward will open the season seated on the bench in a suit. The injury-plagued Koch broke the right thumb on his shooting hand in a practice last month. The broken thumb required Koch to be operated on for the fourth time in the last three years, and he is projected to be back by around Christmas break at the earliest. Koch contributed significantly last season as a glue guy, playing anywhere from the two to the four, but at this point, there is no telling when he will return or how effective he will be for the Cardinals.

Majok Majok

If Majok somehow lives up to the hype generated by teammates, he will be an All-Mid-American Conference post player. Majok says he plays with a mean streak and teammates concur, claiming he dunks on anyone and everyone when he catches the ball in the post and that he blocks shots with authority. The 6-foot-8, 245-pound junior transferred to Ball State from Midland College. JucoJunction.com rated him as the 18th best junior college prospect in the nation last season. Majok shot 55.2 percent from the floor and averaged 10.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game as a sophomore for Midland. Majok grew up in Perth, Australia before coming to the United States as a teenager.

Mading Thok

The 6-foot-11, 200-pound freshman broke his right middle finger back in September, and he is yet to be cleared to play. Thok will not be in uniform today for the season opener. The razor-thin Thok is a raw prospect, who will in all probability play limited minutes this season. He hails from Bor, South Sudan and moved to Iowa in 2010 on a student visa. Thok played for Sioux City East as a junior and averaged 8.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. He then transferred to a smaller school in Western Christian where his averages improved significantly to 19.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest.